Marina, a food blogger in California, is here with a guest post today to tell you all about hosting a summer al fresco party! We are so excited for her first post on the Layla Grayce blog – enjoy!

A few weeks ago, two of my girlfriends and I hosted a backyard dinner party for our dear friends who were moving to the Netherlands. We wanted to send them off with a beautiful table, flowers, delicious California style food and wine, and 12 of their closest friends. We all have young kids, so we arranged babysitters for the evening so we could spend some rare adult time together.

I was in charge of the table setting. For our 13 guests, we set two 6-foot long tables together in the backyard. I chose a simple white tablecloth, homemade burlap runner, and beautiful Pom Pom at Home White Linen Napkins tied with twine and lavender flowers. Our guests loved these super soft linen napkins. I also love the matching Pom Pom at Home White Table Runners, which have a rustic, elegant and cozy feel. For the centerpiece, I used a gorgeous Aidan Gray Decor Metal Plate Stand and filled it with jars and roses from my garden. Its patina is stunning and reminds me of something that could only be found in Europe.

My friend Holley was in charge of appetizers. Her crostini station was a huge hit with our guests, who nibbled on baguette toast, cheeses, spreads and nuts. Holley, another friend, Ronda, and I divided up the cooking and chose make-ahead recipes that could be served at room temperature. We served dinner family style, which was easy and created a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Grilled summer vegetables were served using this Eclectic Hostess Serving Set, which has a beautiful patina and vintage flair. I’ll definitely be ordering another few sets of these to give out as hostess gifts. I love that no two sets are identical.